Kylian Mbappe once again proved his importance as France secured a 3-0 victory over Azerbaijan in their Group D World Cup qualifier on Friday. The result moved Les Bleus closer to securing qualification for next year’s World Cup, though the captain’s late ankle injury caused concern.
The Kylian Mbappe-inspired win came despite France missing several key players, including Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and Bradley Barcola. Mbappe opened the scoring just before halftime with a fine solo goal, slaloming through the Azerbaijani defense and finishing with a calm low shot.
France struggled in the first half, with slow passing and a lack of intensity at the Parc des Princes. Coach Didier Deschamps admitted the team’s performance was far from ideal. “We got the result we wanted but not the performance,” he said. “Our ball circulation was too slow. We didn’t do enough to unsettle them.”
After the break, France improved. Adrien Rabiot doubled the lead in the 69th minute with a precise header from a Kylian Mbappe cross. Substitute Florian Thauvin then sealed the victory in the 84th minute with a well-taken volley, scoring just moments after replacing the injured Mbappe.
Mbappe’s injury came late in the game when he took another hit on an already sore ankle. Deschamps confirmed the knock was painful but not serious. “He preferred to come off because the pain had become quite intense,” the coach said.
The win extended France’s unbeaten run in World Cup and European Championship qualifiers to 26 matches. Les Bleus now top Group D with nine points from three games and can confirm qualification with a win against Iceland on Monday.
Despite their sluggish start, France’s quality and leadership from Kylian Mbappe ensured they stayed on course for the 2026 World Cup.
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